leadhumancapital.com

This is a brainstorm session on what I plan to do for next year. Study is out of context!!

Books: Compulsory
Naomi Klein
Fethullah Gullen
Chapra
Mishaal
Statistics

Hafazan:
Ibn Kathir yang tergantung
Quran Desktop

Project:
Trans Revo
Swimming
Archery
Shooting

Paling Penting:
Basics Skills
Research Books

Elakkan:
Marhaen
Blog Orang

Kurangkan:
TV

Buang:
YM
Games

Banyakkan:
Uzlah
Khalwah

Hentikan:
Berdebat dengan Orang Orang Degil

Target:
Improve Jan

Jauhi:
Perdebatan dengan Orang PEKAK.

Banyakkan:
Doa
Ingat Mati

sesaper nak tambah lagi? Sila kasi cadangan yang baik utk dilaksanakan..

beberapa hari ini, aku sakit teruk, luka lama berdarah kembali.
luka lama yang aku maksudkan tiada kaitan dengan hati dan perasaan, tapi luka lama organ dalaman, jadi ianya lebih bersifat fizikal.
ubat sudah ku pesan dari Malaysia namun aku tidak pasti ianya akan selamat sampai atau tidak.
sebagai alternatif, aku sediakan ramuan ubatku sendiri.
aku gunakan buah delima dan cili serta ayat al Quran.
alhamdulillah, ianya berkesan setakat ini. MOga ianya akan berterusan.

sudah seminggu ku tunggu dia, namun si dia tidak muncul..

si dia yang menemankan aku ketika aku lelah dalam lautan dunia ini,

menyegarkan aku kembali supaya agar setia pada yang kekal..

itulah si dia..buah hatiku

ku cuba mencari yang setanding dengannya namun tidak memuaskan hati..

kupalingkan wajah ku ke selatan rusia, ke Britain dan Arabia, namun tidak ku jumpa,

yang ada hanya di Israel namun tidak setara..

oh betapa aku merindukan mu…

hari ini aku sakit lagi,

sakit rindu pada mu..

bila kah dikau akan kembali

the ignored puzzle pieces of knowledge?

Disabled, Internet and E Learning

Issues:
Registering an e-mail nowadays can be painful for disabled persons as it needs word verification or CAPTCHA to differentiate between real human or automated bot.1 If Google or Yahoo do not provide the audio version of CAPTCHA to assist for verification, it will be unfair on behalf of disabled internet users. Some software such as Cam studio too needs zooming technology when to convert recorded screen into AVI file, without zooming features provided by Mozilla, lots of videos will have small resolution when it is already converted into AVI thus giving problem for visual disabled persons if they tend to use Cam Studio software.2

Many acts have been passed to support educational equity for disabled students. This can be helped to closer the gap of digital divide between non disabled and disabled. Importantly, starting from 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Act and after that, many changes and amendments have been done parallel to that.3 In fact, the laws of Individuals with Disablities Education Act become the catalyst of change to the education in United States for disabled. The purpose of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities can get access to public education.4

The public education must emphasize special education and related services designed to meet the unique needs of them. Indeed, it is based on proportion that disabled students can learn and benefit from an appropriate education; they must not be discriminated and thus allows them to be evaluated fairly5.

As the role of education to ensure success, the purpose of education is to ensure they are not excluded so that later on they can engage in gainful employment. Education in reality should play big role in changing and upgrading social reality of those who participate in it through the empowerment of individuals in knowledge. As we are moving towards the era of globalization where everything is based upon internet and the use of computer, so does the education. It is important to mention here that education nowadays and in future will be changed dramatically as it will shift it focus from traditional method to internet or e learning6. Soon, e learning will be customs of daily education activity. E learning soon will affect every part of society and this includes disabled.

However, there will always a group that can not having access to this modernization due to many reasons. The group that will be focused here is physically disabled. Inaccessibility will also create information rich and information poor. Also, it means physically or mentally disabled people tend to be less IT literate than non disabled people. It will create information rich and information poor that are totally unequal7.

However, are these acts are implemented in e learning as well? Do disabled students have the opportunity to get the equal access in e learning? These are the questions that may arise. Also, it is a fact that though internet becomes more accessible, disabled and problems with its accessibility increase too due to problems such as economic, physical, geopgraphical and other reasons. As disabled usually related to physical, it is thus important to ensure that this problem needs to be addressed properly. In fact, disability is always the case of low level information access due to the fact that disabled may be the case of a low income and a low level of education8.

Disabled means students with loss or reduced function of a certain body part or organs or impairment. It means, they can not perform certain tasks in the same way non disabled students do (Banks pg 330). It also defines as those students for whom learning presents a significant challenge. They are many categories of disabilities; the focus of this paper is on hearing and visual impairments. As e learning usually interactive and it involves these two senses, that’s why this research is focusing on them.

Generally students attend classes with diversity skills in education world, which includes disabled individuals. For the non disabled students the learning needs are easily/ usually fulfilled by providing the right tools. Furthermore they are the majority. However, are the disabled provided with enough support to access and get quality education as what others get? Can e learning play active roles providing it to them?

What is E Learning?

E learning can be defined as the use of computer network technology, primarily over an intranet or through the internet to deliver information and instruction to individual. There are two types of e learning which is asynchronies/pre recorded and synchronized learning (live). Among the reasons using e learning because it provides consistencies, increase learners’ conveniences. As for asynchronies, they have access to e learning anytime on their ease9. Besides, it can help to reduce travel and classroom cost and time off- the job. This asynchronies feature is wonderful as it gives ease for disabled and non disabled. In terms of benefits, it gives computer mediated social support through encouragement by peers, self help chat rooms, exchange of knowledge and etc. Indeed it is potential to be a very flexible form of delivery for a vast quality of information.

E learning is online access to learning resources, anywhere and anytime. As simple it is, e learning can offer new dimension of chances and opportunities for two sides, students and instructor by providing exploration, application and promotion of new knowledge. It means e learning, in fact can provide quality education to the targeted groups as it mentions clearly that it can enriching and extending the learning experience of students and at the same time, opening learning to students who might be restricted to impairment or disadvantaged11.

Findings:

Though, there are many good features that actually can support disabled students in e learning, as a matter of fact, instructor must abide by these rules first. Teacher should make web usable for people with visual, auditory and other physical disabilities. It is called web accessibility.

Web accessibility means people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with and that they can contribute to the web. It is intentionally to eliminate the accessibilities barriers that make it so problematic for disabled12.

Enlarging font size or using text only browser that reads the content aloud is welcome for visual and auditory impairments. Text descriptions, controls and navigations are helpful for graphic and animation for visual impairments. Not just that, in term of providing material support, it must provide complete accessibility standards so that participant with disabilities have the ability to create content or capable of designing using tools provided which is suitable with their limited capabilities. This can be done also by always referring to Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines13.

Indeed, it is good news when Section 50814, putting emphasis on this issue where all federal and supported web sites are developed and coded so that disabled employees and users can gain access. In fact, the priority must be given to web pages to be coded properly so that annotated screen readers and other assistive technologies can be used. It is hope that other companies and web site developers will soon follow this footstep. Among other assistive technology that already available is now developed by GiveTech.org such as gyroscopically-controlled mouse, called the Tracer. Givetech.org designs computer tools for disabled in order to vastly experienced computing and internet and experience15. Tracer is free, and at the same time the organization provides training and support on how to use it which is good compared to other assistive technologies are which are costly.

Berland et al (2000) believes that e learning should to locate appropriate information, at the same time directly to the location. The information needs to be simple so it can be understood, simply and clearly as the key issue, is in making it accessible to disabled students16. Also, it is a must to ensure that web pages can be coded properly so that automated screen readers and other assistive technology can be used.

Not just that, e learning classroom members must understand that it is very crucial to provide emotional support as it is actually required in online learning. Peer support will be helpful to disabled and disabled because the idea is not just on transformation on information only, but each participant add to its value by contributing to online discussions where information is gathered and shared collaboratively. Emotionally, this is good for participants’ motivations. This will support learning experiences to both groups (disabled and non disabled). If it is implemented thoroughly, disabled will benefit more as they usually have logistic problem.

In conclusion, as we try to lessen the gap between digital native and digital divide, we must not forget disabled group that is a part of our society. Though so many acts and rules are provided for their ease, it will be meaningful if first, they are implemented well. Anyway, the first crucial thing is to empower e-learning and Internet for their accessibility.

References:
1. Captcha is developed to fight spam. More information can be accessed from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha (retrieved 12/10/2008)
2. My own experiences using Cam Studio to record my UBD assignment at my YouTube channel. It is not disabled user friendly due to the fact that the when it is save into AVI file, the window screen will become small, thus difficult for me to see. I have to use zooming feature provided by Mozilla Firefox.
3. Banks, J.A.Banks C.A.M. (2007) (pg.338) Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives (6th Edition) Wiley, New Jersey.
4. Ibid, pg 339.
5. Ibid, pg 339 (line 34)
6. Friedman,T.L. (2007) The World Is Flat 3.0, Picador, New York. I did a review on this particular learning and technology on my blog. It can be accessed here: http://leadhumancapital.com/2008/05/world-is-even-more-flat/
7. Grabe,M. Grabe,C. (2007) Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
8. Kaye, H.S (2000) Computer and Internet Use among People with Disabilities. Disabilities Statistic Center, University of California.
9. Welsh, E.T. et al (2003) E-learning: emerging uses, empirical results and future directions. International Journal of Training and Development.
10. Holmes, B. Gardner, J. (2006) E learning: Concepts and Practices. Sage Publication. It is actually an e book that I retrieved using Google Book. Retrieved on 9/12/2008. It can be accessed here: http://books.google.com/books?id=XbbM9mj22KQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=e+learning
11. Ibid, pg 31
12. http://www.w3.org/WAI/ retrieved on 9/12/2008
13. http://www.w3.org/WAI/guid-tech.html retrieved on 9/12/2008
14. http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=3 retrieved on 9/12/2008
15. http://www.givetech.org/ retrieved on 9/12/2008
16. Davis,J.J.(2002) Disenfranchising the Disabled: The Inaccessibility of Internet Based Health Information. Journal of Health Communication,(vol 7)

Introduction:

It is a fact that learning will be successful if teacher can tap into students prior experiences, so that he/she can create frame of understanding among students. As every student brings into classroom different set of schemata, teachers’ job is to assist these schemata and to relate it with academic experiences. Usually realia, movies clips, pictures will be used in order to activate the brain activities within them so that students can make connections and prepare to accept new information as the link/chain of understanding have been established based on their previous learning. If that does not happen, that’s why, effective teacher will always evoke students’ memories by relating it to educational experiences of every students.

Mostly, teachers use questioning technique for so many reasons such as to engage students in classroom learning, to initiate discussion, to arouse participations and etc. However, this research will explore how questioning techniques can tap into students’ background knowledge and at the same helping teacher to know the level of students understanding. This research will aim to help teacher to prepare suitable questioning techniques to be used in classroom setting.

Definition:

Questioning technique means employing specific methods in order to get information. It means teacher will use dialogue/two ways interaction with students to get information relating to the lessons. Not just that, it is to lead students to think in depth while answering the teacher’s questions1. From this, teacher will make informal conclusions/evaluation on students understanding. It is at the same time probing into greater critical awareness and at the same time as an extension to discussions. Answers from students or discussion will be evaluative feedback for teachers.

It is important to mention here that questioning technique is very different compared to interrogation. Teachers tend to confuse and can not differentiate between these two. Interrogation means probing and looking for answers/ getting information too but it is problematic because it usually will bring emotional collapse. Emotional collapse must be avoided as it will raise affective filter.

Questioning on the other hand can also raise affective filter among students. However, as this research will only focus on the how and the effectiveness of questioning technique to tap into students’ background knowledge, the issue of raising affective filter is a null hypothesis. It is good to assume in this research that students don’t have low self esteem problem or self confidence as it is not intended to measure that. Also, it is good to assume that when giving questions by teacher, students will be given proper waiting time to response. These are to negate all possibilities that might disturb the hypothesis below.

Background knowledge means something in the past that we learn that create our understanding today2. It can be called prior knowledge or schemata. Some researcher and theorists also refer to what a person already knows about a topic as background knowledge3. Academic background knowledge or academic experiences will be the focused as it is critical to success in school4. Students that have more academic background knowledge and the ability to process and access information and experiences will be successful compared to students that have none5.

Hypothesis:

Questioning strategies are helpful to activate background knowledge.

Method:

This research is a secondary research (library research) that focuses on finding literature reviews to support the hypothesis.

Discussion:

Background Knowledge:

As students’ academic background knowledge is related to prior experiences, it means they are very unique because every student will bring them together in the classroom. It also means no one has same background knowledge. Due to that, it is important for teacher to activate them in order to ensure success of the teaching. Herrera and Murry (2005) have noted:

“teachers must always frequently check students ‘prior knowledge, regularly prompt students to think about existing understandings in novel ways and lastly encourage students to derive new connections between existing schemata and new context.”6

Carrel (1981) believes that comprehension only occur when students manage to relate the lessons to something that he/she already knows. It means the ability to make connection and relating it to new experiences and knowledge structure. August and Hakuta (1997) further supported her notion by saying:

“The depth, interconnectedness and accessibility of prior knowledge all dramatically influence the processing of new information…knowledge is a complex integrated network of information of various types: ideas, facts, principles, actions and scenes. Prior knowledge is thus more than another chunk of information. It might facilitate, inhibit, or transform a new learning task. Students must connect their own prior knowledge with new information continuously, while teachers must understand how well students are making these connections.”7

From these reviews, it is very important to activate students’ academic knowledge. That is a teacher’s job. Effective teachers help students to learn by focusing on students’ prior knowledge and at the same time create a context for understanding, making the concepts relevant in order for students to have cognitive growth. It is to help them to understand and at the same time being able to make worthy of integration to their academic background knowledge.

Questioning Techniques:

Questions asked to students can affect their brains in term of cognitive. If teacher asks questions that related to guided problem solving and at the same time conceptual, it is more concrete to students8. This is not baseless because based on the active learning approach; learning activities will involve dialogue with self which is to think reflectively and also dialogue with others. These two activities indeed will happen by having questions and answers sessions with teacher. It shows that more questions being asked by teacher, more learning will happen9.

Questioning will also help to heighten conceptual understanding as students are shaping and exposing their thoughts by answering teacher’s questions or asking back to the teachers. It means teacher can have understanding on how much understanding that particular students have by answering the questions being asked. This two ways communication happens if the teacher’s questions manage to grab the attention and develop motivation. Usually, the lesson can only reach that states if it is meaningful. In order to make it meaningful, it must be somehow related to students’ background knowledge and interest.

Also, King (1994) believes that good questions provoke thought, are based on students’ experiences and call for creative thinking10. According to van Zee, good questioning technique which is employed by teachers can develop conceptual thinking by developing questions that help them( students ) to clarify their meanings( meaningful), monitoring and exploring various points of discussions11.

From these findings, it means questioning techniques do tap into students’ previous knowledge as long as they are related to students. Teachers then should play roles in helping to the cause. In fact among the characteristic of effective teaching is teaching behaviors. Inside teaching behaviors, teacher must emphasis on direct instruction and at the same time using frequent recall level questions12. Also, teacher can explicitly draw parallel between the topic and students’ experiences by asking questions in order to engage them in a topic13. This can be done by asking for relevant background knowledge during brainstorming session in order to help students to produce examples that can be associated with topic14.

It is interesting to note here that Echevarria and Graves (1998) stated specifically in their book that:

“Teachers who actively engage students meaningfully often are more successful than teachers who do not (Gersten & Jimenez, 1994: King, 1990; Palincsar, 1986). Successful teachers ask many questions, including a high number of high level questions of all students (Gersten & Gimenez, 1994). Approaches that have teachers ask many questions which do not have specific answers, such as instructional conversations, improve the language skills of learners and the comfort levels of students in school ( Echavarria & Mc Donough,1995: Goldenberg, 1992-93;Palincsar,1986; Rosebery, Warren, & Conant,1992)”15.

Findings:

According to Wilen (1986), questioning can serve to fulfill some purposes such as to stimulate student participation, to initiate a review of material previously read or studied, to initiate discussion of a topic, issue or problem based on previous learning, to involve in students creative thinking, to diagnose student abilities, to evaluate student preparations of a learning task, to determine to what extent objectives have been achieved, to arouse student interest, to control behaviors and lastly to support students contributions in class.16

Based on this, it is believed questioning techniques employ by teachers can tap into background knowledge because initiating a review, discussion based on previous learning actually is an activity that explores students’ background knowledge. It happens to be so because according to Hunkins, questioning usually involves focusing students’ attention on learning and it is related to particular cognitive level that later will encourage students to participate in the learning activity17.

Further more, Gallagher and Aschner , based on Guilford’s Structure of Intellect Model, believes that when questionings are being employed, brain will go into 5 mental operations that can be put into 5 groups; cognition, memory, convergent thinking, divergent thinking and evaluation thinking18. All of these 5 elements actually involve with background knowledge especially divergent and evaluative thinking as it involve mainly with students judgment, value and choice. So it is very important for teachers to have knowledge and skills in classifying questions in order to know the degree of students mind being stimulated.

Questioning technique that is being employed in Instructional Conversations also has its elements in activation and use of background knowledge. Through questioning, it will lead to conversation that will support learning. The intention is to hook into relevant schemata in order to help them to understand academic texts19.

Conclusions:

Questioning techniques employ by teachers will only be helpful if teachers are very selective in choosing questions that involve with higher level of thinking and meaningful to students in order to activate their background schemata.

References:

1. E. Stones, Sidney Morris (1972) Teaching Practice: Problems and Perspectives: A Reappraisal of the Practical Professional Element in Teacher Preparation, Taylor & Francis Publication. (pg 236)

2. Carrel P.L (1981) Some Issues in Studying the Role of Schemata or Background Knowledge in Second Language Comprehension, Southern Illinois University. http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/RFL/PastIssues/rfl12carrell.pdf retrieved on 12/8th/2008

3. Ibid.

4. Marzano R.J (2004) Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement. ASCD Publication, Alexandria VA.

5. Ibid, pg 3.

6. Herrera S.G. Murry, K.G.(2007) Mastering ESL and Bilingual Methods: Differentiated Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Students. Pearson Education, Boston

7. Ibid, pg 37.

8. http://sitemaker.umich.edu/reddym.356/questioning_styles retrieved on 12/6/2008.

9. Yi Shang et al (2001) An Intelligent Distributed for Active Learning. International Web Wide World Conferences, Hong Kong. http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=372074&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=14535457&CFTOKEN=99416782&ret=1#Fulltext retrieved on 12/9/2008.

10. Roth, W.M( 1996) Teacher Questioning in an Open Inquiry Learning Environment: Interaction of Context, Content and Student Responses. Journal of Research in Science Teaching Vol 33 (pg 709-736)

11. Van Zee E.H et al (2001), Student and Teacher Questioning during Conversations about Science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching Vol 38 (pg 159-190)

12. Echevarria, J. Graves, A (1998) Sheltered Content Instruction; Teaching English Language Learner with Diverse Abilities. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.(pg 55)

13. Ibid, pg 73

14. Ibid, pg 83

15. Ibid, pg 84

16. Wilen, W.W (1986) Questioning Skills, for Teachers. National Education Association, Washington D.C

17. Ibid, pg 11

18. Ibid, pg 13

19. Echevarria, J. Graves, A (1998) Sheltered Content Instruction; Teaching English Language Learner with Diverse Abilities. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

dalam keadaan yang semakin genting, apa lagi yang diharapkan oleh manusia? lagu? ilmu? ketenangan? keyakinan?iman?

apa yang perlu diyakinkan? diimankan?

ketika nyawa di hujung tanduk, terfikir bagaimana kita akan menghadapinya?

menyerah sahaja? atau mengikut acuan yang bukan fitrah?

ini persoalan harapan yang perlu difahami dengan teliti, dan harapan hanya akan terbit jika ada keyakinan akan sesuatu.

perbincangan dengan abu umar menimbulkan buah yang baik, katanya kita seharusnya memikirkan diri sendiri sebelum orang lain kerana kita sendiri tidak mampu untuk membentuk kekuatan.

secara realitinya aku setuju…

hati hati beb…

Tahun ini tak seperti tahun tahun yang lalu, ketika aku di Malaysia. Sambutan tahun ini dalam ketika cuaca sejuk. Tahun sebelumnya aku akan bersama dengan ayah mengerjakan lembu seekor, tahun ini aku tertanya tanya siapa di kalangan adik adikku yang akan menolong..

Mujurlah semalam, ketika proses sembelihan di jalankan, cuaca terang benderang, cuma angin Northeast yang agak kencang.

Aku hormat akan saudaraku Yan si Lithuania, Ishak Sri Lanka, Habib dari Senegal dan Asrar dari Malaysia. Mereka mereka ini andaikata di beri peluang mengendalikan kompani kompani yang lebih besar, akan aku berikan amanah ini kepada mereka.

Aku juga doakan agar korban mereka diterima, dosa di ampunkan. Ameen.

Ganjaran yang paling besar aku dapat ialah betapa tidak bersedianya kita untuk berkorban dan apatah lagi terkorban. Ini satu refleksi yang jelas apabila aku lihat yang datang membantu hanya berjumlah 5 orang sahaja.

Yang di war warkan jumlah seramai 17 orang, kemudian ramai yang menarik diri.

Kecewa juga aku dengan sikap mereka yang mewakilkan masjid untuk sembelihan korban, datang ambil semata mata tanpa sedikit pun rasa malu dan prihatin akan saudara mara yang lain, persaudaraaan KEPALA HANJING macam ini.

Yang lain aku lihat akan muncul ketika ada peluang untuk habuan diri sendiri.

Maka benarlah, lambat lagi nampaknya Khilafah akan ditubuhkan kalau beginilah pemikiran yang ada dalam diri masing masing..

“Not all or nearly all of the murders done by white men, during the past thirty years in the South, have come to light, but the statistics as gathered and presented by white men, and which have not been questioned, show that during these years more than then thousand Negroes have been killed in cold blood without the formality of judicial trial and legal execution.(qtd. in Lerner 199)

-Ida B. Wells in her diary (autobiography 1895) against lynching-1

“Before 1904 was three months old, thirty one negroes had been lynched. Of this number, fifteen were murdered within one week in Arkansas, and one was shot to death in Springfield, Ohio, by a mob composed of men who did not take the trouble to wear masks. Hanging, shootings, and burning black men, women and children in the United States have become so common that such occurrences create but little sensation and evoke but slight comment now”(qtd. in Lerner 207)

-Mary Church Terrell 1904-2

There are so many issues that significant from me in this book, but in these paragraphs, I will explain that racism is a system, and from this dirty system, it produces privileges. Those who support it will explain/defend it as a way to maintain the specialties of that particular group. Some claims it is good to maintain the survival, but it is not. Tim clarifies lots of issues especially his notion that racism is a system that is deeply ingrained in USA society by using his experiences to validate it. I just live here for almost a year, so I don’t know much about it. However, when I reflect back his experiences and what I experiences myself, it puts me into realization of how true he is. Is he off base? No, he is not as I realize that what I learn from these past 15 weeks will be valued much by me, not by putting all the experiences and the readings that have been done in one corner of my brain, but to act upon it, to act against racism. Furthermore I am a Muslim, it is against my religion to practice racism, and I believe all religion in this world, are against racism at all cost.

When Tim mentions about white privilege that he has, and how he managed to use it to escape his neck from certain problems that he faced in the past, and how comfortable he was of the privilege, I believe it happens to other White Americans too. I, as Asian student have a different feeling and experience too. I don’t have confidence that I will succeed, able to earn a good job or good salary if I did what Tim’s did. For an example, if I come late to my examination hall, I don’t think that my professors will allow me to take another exam or even enter it. This will result in having a low grade, then affecting badly my CGPA and thus, I won’t be able to get a good job. That’s why I have to perform in my studies better than anyone else, to make myself on par or better in order to be able to compete. Also, it is due to the fact that I don’t want anyone to associate being Malay or being Asian as being lazy. I know professors or lecturers here don’t have this stereotype of thinking, but the fear just exists. After all, it is good, isn’t it? It keeps my motivation to succeed high.

No, it is not good at all. It can lead you to depression. Racism is not good at all. Here, I always have to prove something. I feel that way. I don’t know why at first but as I finish reading Motivation Theory by Abraham Maslow, it makes sense. It is to achieve the esteem and self actualization level. In these two levels, you need respect of others and respect to others. I can sense that in order to get respect of others, you need to be fully White and Americanized. Even, if I already did that, it does not mean that I will be fully accepted. Realizing that I can’t achieve it, my option is to score well in my education. (It does not mean that I want to be White American, no, I am just explaining how dangerous it is because you tend to be someone that you are not too, in order to be accepted.)At least, I have something for myself and my family if I do well in my subjects. That answers the stereotyping why Asian students usually do well in Mathematics and why I love Mathematics so much. Realizing that I can’t speak English like native speakers, Mathematics offers me the other side of it. It is a language that is universal except that Mathematics represents themselves in numerical and science symbols. Everybody has a fair chance to excel in it. Mathematics is a fair ground.

In fact, the fear to be called lazy is originated from an article that I read when I was 15 years old. In that article, the writer (his name is Mokhtar, a Malay himself) suggesting that Malay society should change the name of our race from Malay to Segar. The reason was Malay/Melayu (in Malaysia it is not called Malay, it is called “Melayu”, Malay is an English word for Melayu) means “not fresh, decayed, or putrid”. Instead of officially being called “Malay race/people”, he wanted to change it to “Segar race/people”. Segar in our language can be meant as “fresh, blooming”. In that article, he mentioned how uneasy he was when every time he listened to someone saying this sentence to him kept reminding him of his own race. That’s why he made that suggestion. The example of the sentence such as, “ Bunga itu MELAYU” can be translated as “ The flower( in Malay flower means bunga) is ROTTEN. Most of the Malays rejected his ideas though he introduced a new concept to teach Mathematics using a technique that he himself called “Kaedah Mokhdar” or “Mokhdar Way”.

In other article I read was about the word Malays itself that was originated from Marco Polo. When he arrived in Golden Chersonese (a name given to Malay Peninsula by Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek geographer), he met a group of Malays and did not know what’s suitable name to give for the group, later on he figured out, Malaise should be called to this group because of their attitude that like to relax doing nothing although lots of things could have been done. So, in conclusion from the article that I read, Malays originated from the word Malaise which the meanings are very negative.

As for me, this is my first time I wrote it down on paper. Before this I never discuss about it. I just don’t discuss it without knowing why. Maybe I don’t accept it. That’s the best answer that I can give. It haunts me. It is painful to be associated with something that you are not. I can understand the painful when the N word (or any racial slur words) is being used towards Black American. It is painful because it is not true. At the same time, I always think that Marco Polo did a mistake by giving a name based on a group of people; it was like a very simple generalization. Further more, it was based on his perception and no clinical experiment to prove it, which I think was quite unfair. When someone uses it as racial slur towards Malays or me, it is very painful. As painful as when someone calls/ makes generalization Muslims are terrorists. It is more depressing when Muslim leaders / Muslim all over are asking for forgiveness/apologizing for Mumbai attack, when in realities, the victims themselves do not know who did it.3 Is not it just stupid? As I attended an open house two days ago at one of my Malaysian friend that works here for almost 7 years, I realize how true it is the notion of “Asian must work hard” in order to be accepted, to work well in his office. He told me that his boss keep giving works because usually he will complete the job. When we told him that he can either just reject the workload, at the same time he is afraid that it will somehow affect his boss’s perception towards him. I completely understand his fear.

For example, when I was at the library, I saw my American classmates. They were sitting there and chit chatting but as I approach them, they greeted me, but the conversation that they were having stop abruptly without them realizing I was there, or they might continue their conversations as if I did not exist. That shows how cold they are towards people of color, or in “nicer words”, you are not accepted. Sometimes, I am thinking maybe I am over sensitive about this, but then, when I asked my wife about this, she told me that always happen to her when she was the only Asian in her lab, together with other fellow Americans. She won’t be in the discussion. Anyway, she gets used to it and she does not feel it so much because there are many international students in her class and departments.

“To be black or brown at that same school was to ensure that no matter how good an actor or actress you were, or were capable of becoming, you were unlikely to be in a position to avail yourself of this same outlet for our creativity.”(pg 30) I feel how true the sentences are, as now it makes sense, why Chinese in Malaysia prefer vernacular school rather than our National School. At the same time, chauvinist politicians who don’t really understand the grass root of the problem or have hidden agenda to stay in power accused them of not being patriotic enough just to rally support among racist Malays. Again, racism is blended into the system, and how destructive it is when someone might manipulate the issue about racism and use it as their political agenda.

How are we going to encounter this accusation and rectify the problem so that the unity and tolerance will base strongly? Tim continues by writing, “UNLESS, the drama teacher is prepared to violate the aesthetic sensibilities of the audience, which is rare, and cast a person of color in a role that is traditionally played by a white person ( like Romeo of Juliet….” He is true about this. I do accept his points of views but I am thinking how we are going to achieve it as they are so many out there that their minds still closed and willing to let racism to be the lead of their life?

I just can not believe the reactions and response of racists’ teachers when being asked hypothetical questions by author, they afraid that there would be a teacher shortage if they were getting fired. How selfish they were because it appears in their mind first rather than about the nature of teaching professions that must be on ground of equality. It means to them to be racist and to continue with this notion and being biased towards people of color is okay as long as they have job, salary and life. I pity them. What a low life that they lead. They are lucky because if I am their Head of Department, they will be jobless by now as I don’t want future generations will be taught by those who have Jim Crow’s mind.

Indeed, continue implementing curriculum that is completely Eurocentric, being okay with it without at least feeling guilty means enjoying the fruit of racism. Congratulations for the schools that put a stop to it but how about those who believe that multiculturalism is only/should be presented as mere “parsley on the plate”. Isn’t it scary because implement education that is against of racism because of they have to rather than they want to? They don’t want to be called racist but in truth it is an obvious hypocrisy. What will happen to students who study under them then?

Indeed racism if it is not combated at school is dangerous as it will tear the society apart. It will break a good relationship that we should develop among races. I agree with Tim’s point of views when he mentioned in page 134 that, “irrespective of our personal connections to one another, the school system would from the outset, separate us and sort us.” This indeed happened to me, my mom told me that when I was a small kid, at kindergarten I had lots of multiracial friends, but this did not continue as I went into boarding school which is 99% were Malay at that moment. Is not it obvious that the system tore me apart from knowing and understanding other races?

He makes his points by explaining the story of his drunken father and how it is related to what he is today because he has an outlet to release all the frustrations. Again, he got special attention first because he is White. What would happen if he was not White, and at the same time he had problem to converse in English because in his daily life he used Ebonics? What will happen then to students of color which drama teachers or any other teachers do not prepare to violate the aesthetic sensibilities of the crowd? They will of course find other means to escape from the problems be it good way or bad. I believe their matter of choice will always be bad because of the system itself. Students of colors do not have place to go. Supposedly, they can always find schools but how can they depend on it when racism is perpetuated there everyday? Later, they will involve in gangs or criminal activities as an escapee from the problem as adult turn to alcohol for their problems. If every teacher realizes how powerful their roles in saving these kids from involving them in these bad activities, I believe they will join us to fight racism because from that, they are in fact saving the society too.

Racism puts us to live into fear. Firstly, it is fear towards others by assumptions that someone wants to do bad things to you. Tim portrays this by giving examples of Woodstock 99 with the gathering of 200 000 people, without uniformed officers at all. On the other side, if 20 000 black people gathers in the name of that, I believe it will create suspicions among Whites and of course there will be armed force to take care of situation if it becomes worst. Secondly, those who have this disease will always find fault of people of colors. If not, racial profiling that is committed by police force won’t be an issue. Furthermore, Tim explained based on his experienced that how he gets lucky due to his white privileges. In fact, racism does not help at all because this kind of feeling will always make us to find others faults especially someone that is so different from us especially skin color. Someone that I mention here can be anyone, plus if the perpetrator has/ gets his worldviews from negative sources. This put me into realization that someone who wants to be in security forces, must go through a thorough check up on his/her worldviews on people of color. This is to avoid injustice.

Tim is a talented writer. I can say that because when he explained his points, he did it vividly. Sometimes, Whites will deny the existence of racism by not accepting that it happens. Tim explains through the lenses of him as White American. He knows what it is purported because he himself is a White. Furthermore, what makes it vivid is because he likes to puts the readers after looking through his own lenses, he will ask the readers to be emphatically involves and see from the people of colors’ perspectives. For example, in page 50 lines 12, he asked the readers to imagine a situation by using “What if…” I can imagine putting myself in the situation that he used as examples. For example, Whites will understand better (if she/he really involves in this reading this book, actively and engaged) because Tim just make the readers to be in his shoes and after reading Tim’s experience, I am pretty sure that if the Black American speaker is invited by MLK Day Committee, and then gotten lost in thick fog and missed the turnoff, the Black American won’t get any help if he steps up to the same house that Tim knock. I am thinking that the emphatic style of being a Black American by imagining that we are on that position is effective for readers like me. He managed to put me in a situation from the eyes of people of color (anyway, I am people of color). What I mean this can be a good strategy to makes Whites or others to understand the fear that people of colored face.

When a lot of Whites believe racism does not happen or thinking that it is over, mainly because they let their perceptions being persuaded by media, by reflecting and comparing that lots of Blacks today have better access to education, entertainment, politics and etc. What I mean is they are comparing the minority that achieves success to majority. They make this assumption equals to having opportunities as Whites. They can have success as what Whites have. For example, the success of a rapper group 50 Cent, Bill Cosby or Will Smith. This is very limited points of views as Will Smith, Bill Cosby or 50 Cent is just representatives from the whole Black American community in the whole USA. Can I say 0.001 % from the whole community?

Perhaps, their perception will be changed if they see from the eyes of Tim during the Katrina disaster, how security forces pointed gun to Black and asked them to back in order to give spaces to Whites. What the hell was that? If I were there, I won’t be saved due to the fact that I am a person of color? Are they more equal than me? If I committed crime, the punishment must be the same regardless of color, and then my question is what kind of justice is that? I am thinking that they won’t be able to see it, as they will ONLY see rampages that happened at Wal Mart, did by Black and it was being aired by media continuously to the whole United States citizens. Their world will be limited to that point of views only rather than understanding racism as a complete institutionalized system. Up until now, I do wonder due to above examples, on the relevancies of uproar on Derrick Bell book’s “Faces at the Bottom of the Well” by white liberal circles and students. Why make it a fuss when it is a reality? Yeah, reality sometimes can be very bitter. The example proves that White tend to negate racism does happen in American Society today though it ended hundred years ago.

As I am reading this book, at the same time I am reading and analyzing book written by Naomi Klein titled, “Shock Doctrine”. Though both books do not mention about the same topic, but when it comes to the particular paragraph from page 189 of Tim’s book, he wrote, “and so now what, White America? As rents are up seventy percent across the city, as schools remain closed, or converted to charter schools, inadequate to the task of welcoming back all the children emptied from the city?…” and Klein wrote, “within nineteen months, with most of the city’s poor residents still in exile, New Orleans’ public school system had been the most completely replaced by privately run charter schools. Before Hurricane Katrina, the school board had run 124 public schools, now it ran just 4. Before that storm, there had been 7 charters schools in the city; now there were 31.”4 I think both of them made the same points, if this disaster does happen in the area of White majority, it won’t be completely different. The help will be abundant and without any terms. That’s why, one of the mothers who chimed while Klein’s interviewed Jamar Perry, an African American Southerner, said. “No, they are not blind, they’re evil. They see just fine.” 5

Commenting on Tim’s realization that his fight (our fight) against racism will never end, I can give full salute to him. Others might think that he is crazy too because they believe racism wont end, but what matter most is what he himself belief, that it is a must to stop racism because it is so inhumane and cruelty towards others. It is actually not running after the mirage like what others believe it is when fighting against racism. It is indeed proving to yourself that what you are doing is right exactly as Desmond Tutu keep his support to Wise by saying, “You do not do the things you do because others will necessarily join you in the doing of them nor because the will ultimately prove successful. You do the things because the things you are doing are right”

Even if given a choice, being silent on injustice( racist is an injustice) or live with it, being okay with it, but inside of our conscience feeling guilty or make it appear it does not matter much, I’d rather been turned into a dust. Don’t call me human because a human that lives with above notion is inhumane. It is a shame to be human. Yes, Tim is right when he wrote, he has no idea when it will end or eradicated fully, but his resistance do means something to me at least if others do not care about it. It gives me hope as a person of color and I believe he gives impact to those who say racism is a small matter. His ideas will always come to them and say how true they are, only ignorance, egoistic prevents me to accept that racism is so wrong.

Living in the preferential cocoon treatment is not good too. It is a privileged but it can not ensure survival. I experience it now as I am Malay. Learning about it, how destructive it is to my own race survival makes me aware about it, furthermore when Tim mentioned how it can help us to be dependent almost on everything. It happened to the son of a woman who made a call to his radio show when Tim was in Minnesota. The son realized how living in, being pampered, bathed in White privileged made him always in control when in fact, when he did not have anything to hold into, and everything went wrong, he was as weak as caterpillar without a cocoon. I realized how blind and awkward I was to mould into a real society after being in the school that was majority Malay for about several years. I believed I was blind because exactly as Tim said, “privilege can be dangerous because it leads to expectations and a mentality of entitlement that makes it much more difficult to view the world accurately.” For any other Malays that racism still dominate their thinking, I can sense that they believe they don’t feel have to know or care as no one would mess with them and everything that benefits and give them advantages though it will be on the expense of others will be okay. It is their right that is what they believe. Indeed, I am thankful to be here in USA to learn about racism, to be alive and human again.

I dare to use the word ignorant for those who committed racial slur, not just this word even heavier than it. It is supported by Wise thinking that actually has at least similarity as what I have been thinking on paragraph above. Those who use and live with racism, to me based on his brainless notion usually based his/her own intellect on the basis on what she/he perceives to be true. Those who say racial slur to attack/defend himself/herself, can be considered as the one that don’t have much control on himself/herself, very much likely to operate on the basis of conditioning. In fact, it reflects a lot of subconscious mind within himself/herself. An advice can be considered an attack on his/her personal self though she/he seems to be intellectual. I am referring this to a statement by Ann Coulter calling Muslims rag head and nicely defending that as a joke only,6 what makes me sadder was when after she nicely answered that, she received applaud claps. Is my perception wrong on her?

I now understand where Tim got a nerve to fight racism at all cost though he had to shout, “Fuck the Shut up” to his mom. He was nurtured to hate racism from her grandmother, who made a change. Her story inspired him where she insisted to get married with Leo Wise, a Jew and at the same time, gave an ultimatum to her great grandfather to quit the Klu Klux Clan. Not just that, both of them, chose to stay in a “restricted neighborhood”. I value some of the examples that are given in order to raise awareness not just to ourselves but by implementing these, it gives an example to our kids that we are serious to combat racism. Among the example given that I think quite effective is to refuse to shop at institutions with a pattern or history of discrimination. I think this work very much, for example, when Denmark slamming Muslim by releasing the caricature of Muslim’s prophet, all Muslim’s nations boycotted products that come from Denmark. Though it does not work to stop the humiliation, it gives a simple message to the news agency and the country that humiliation against Muslim must be stopped.

Fighting racism will be never stopped if we don’t change the system surrounding us. That’s a priority. At the same time, we must not neglect any injustice happening outside our circle of reach too, our boundary. It is important to keep track on what happen outside as we might learn, understand about it and find alliance to support our struggle. How profound his statement in pg 144 when he means that we are just a bunch of hypocrites if we dare to go out protesting on Apartheid that happens in South Africa but the injustice happen to people of color in our neighborhood just being left neglected because it did not have much impact on us.

There are a lot of things that we can do in order to improve race relations so that racism will be reduced at least. I got this after reading an article written by Charles A Gallagher, entitled “10 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Race Relations”,7 and from Tim’s book as well. However, I will comment on two things because these two happen and can be noticed surrounds us daily. Firstly, we must not tolerate racist jokes. We must have a gut to tell someone to stop him from telling that though we are in the middle of conversation. We have to take stand by telling how wrong it is not condoning it by just keeping quiet. Secondly, it is very important too, to avoid stereotypical language and at the same time combating them by asking questions to encounter the beliefs that he/ she really beliefs all of them are like what he/she said. You may ask him/her as well if that particular attribute that she/he stereotypes does not really exist in other races or cultures. After all, in my opinion, by asking a question encountering the perpetrators is a way to clarify/ correcting the way of his/her thinking that is based upon fallacy. Indeed, stereotyping is usually a fallacy on behalf of our judgments and perceptions.

Seriously, this book and other books are never enough, there are more to learn as learning racism and multicultural education is an empowerment for me. It opens up my mind, realizing my mistakes that I used to do on others which I really regret. In the future, I wish I can learn more on tools to improve race relations as I believe I will be a policy maker in the Malaysian education system. I would like to learn and know more about what kind of policies I should make, what are the things to consider in constructing policies and etc. Before I end my essay this time, again, I strongly believe that this is a must and compulsory subject for every student. Through education, we can change this world for a better place.

References:

1. D.Soyini Madison, “The Woman That I Am: The Literature and Culture of Contemporary Women of Color.”1994 St. Martin’s Press,New York.

2. Ibid, pg 8

3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/27/mumbai-terror-attacks-india4 accessed 12/9/2008.

4. Naomi Klein, “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.”2007 Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt and Company LLC, New York.(pg.5)

5. Ibid, pg 4

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPGu-7PjIp0&feature=related or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj3J8VorZ3I accessed on 12/8/2008

7. http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwsoc/onlinepublications/gallagher/Ten%20Simple%20Things.pdf accessed on 12/8/2008

I am concerned about Recession that happens globally. It happened to us (Malaysians) once in the year 1997. That year was bad. My friends, those who were under scholarship could not continue their study to overseas. Those who were under scholarships from International Giant Corporations like BP, Shell or Petronas would have the opportunity to fly. They were lucky. Those who were supported by Malaysian Government and were studying in UK had to come back. They were called back. Our currency was really bad compared to Pound Sterling which was Ringgit Malaysia 7.50 to one Pound Sterling. Motivation to study dropped down for us that were doing A-level course for a preparation to study overseas. We were demotivated. We said Goodbye to Aberdeen, Scotland. We said bye to Eiffel Tower too. Those were our targets during summers if we managed to be there. Our currency (Malaysian’s Ringgit) value dropped tremendously in terms of its value compared to dollars (USD). Our currency had less value due to the work of speculators that kept daunting our government. Preventive measurements were taken in order to stop it from being worse. One of it was pegging our currency. We did not want to be the next Indonesia.

It did not just happen to my country only as it affected the whole South East Asian regions. After ten years, the cycle starts again. Now, it happens here. It means it happens globally because we are using the same economic system. This fact is very interesting as we are in fact in the same ship. Every country is affected badly. My friend used to tell me that recession will continue to happen in every 10 years. It has deep impact upon me, as during the years, I can see major changes that happen to our socio economic and people are worried. In fact, this issue matters so much to me as we (my wife and I) don’t want to be called back due to Economic Recession that happens globally. I really hope we can finish our education here. Few months ago, I have been discussing this matter with my wife telling her that if worst comes to worst, maybe we just should apply to be research assistant here. This worry leads me to follow major economic changes that happen in USA and Malaysia too. I always get myself informed.

In 1997, when the first wave of recession happened, I was in the hospital at that moment where a doctor was cleaning up my hands from blood. I was involved with minor accident, but after receiving a paged, he looked worried and hurriedly left me. He directed a hospital attendant to continue his unfinished work. I asked the hospital attendant and got to know that a business man just slit his throat with a razor due to the excessive crash of BSKL. The doctor hurried to the ICU to save this man’s life.

I was clueless at that moment. Later on from the news, I realized suicide actions due to the recession were many. In Jakarta, protestors use this momentum to end the tyrannical era of Soeharto a year after that. Due to the chaos and instability, Americans were being evacuated within 24 hours from Indonesia especially Jakarta. Chronologically, more chaos and demonstration were held everywhere in this region. There were demonstrations against IMF solutions to interfere into the Indonesia economy. The injection must be taken in order to save the economy from the abrupt of bankruptcy. Indonesians mostly refused because it is a trend of silent colonialism. However, they did not have much choice. As for Indonesians and Malaysians, we believe once you take IMF injections, you will let International foreign banks to interfere into your policy. In fact, as a result of this, as one of the largest Muslim population in this world, Indonesians can not stop Playboy to be sold in the country. Their markets are open as wide as sky. Luckily for Malaysians, our currency reserve in off shore banks are strong enough, we had ability to peg our currency.

In Malaysia, Bailout was being declared by Mahathir Mohamad in order to save Malaysian Ringgit from becoming more worst in terms of its value. He used money from Danaharta which mainly gets its money from the export of petroleum. Here, the bailout comes from tax payer’s money. He did not have so many obstacles as he is already our prime minster at that moment but here,in United States when bailout is being introduced, two nominal were winning every American heart on how they are going to use it to save American Economy. Americans made decisions by participating in the 2008 elections. Every presidential candidate was given enough time to proof and convince Americans. I am amazed by how democracy is really implemented in terms of this. I just love the statements in Deb Riechmann’s article when he mentioned that two presidential candidates, John Mc Cain and Barack Obama, were made aware of the summit and they were supportive of the idea. This is another expectation to see how open we should be together even though we are from different camp. As for me, I dare not to comment about the actions taken by Mahathir Mohamed fearing that the same disaster might happen to me as what happen to Anwar Ibrahim. Plus, I am under Government’s scholarship. Malaysians are not so open when it comes to criticizing the policies or leaders. Internal Security Act will wait for those who go against the current.

“The New York Times, Wednesday, October 29, 2008: 2 Rivals Plans on Fiscal Issue Add to Deficits.”

I love reading and analyzing anything related to recent recessions that affect this country though I am not an economist. Firstly, it puts me into realization of how powerful it is, because the problem that starts from the Lehman Brothers, continued and spread to all over the world, and at the end, it becomes a global recession. This put me into another perspective that we are inter related to each other. We are using the same system. I can say, it is not just technologies that abide us together like a spider web, but indeed it is the same economic system that is being implemented all over the world. It is capitalist economic system. In addition to that, this system is being supported by the advancement of globalization forces. Not to forget exactly as what being mentioned by Bush that any international effort should preserve what he calls democratic capitalism- free markets, free enterprise and free trade. We have internet, we have powerful communications, and thus the ideas can be accepted vastly without having any problems.

Under the economic system that we use together, we can come into our own consensus to determine the level of modernization and economic growth of every country in this world and they are determined by GDP growths. Not just that, the solutions are expected to be various as key players are many. I predict, the solutions must be creative too as it involves many countries and nations. A report dated on October 23, 2008 by Deb Riechmann from Associated Press titled,” First summit on global crisis set for Nov. 15” mentioned about this whereby the summit is intentionally to bring together leaders of Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and etc to bring about and discuss different approaches about what needs to be fixed with the system.

Also, in terms of news coverage (USA and Malaysia) it is almost the same subject. Economic matters so much, that’s why it is the same. Further more, Malaysians as any other countries, look forward to know what happen here in order to prepare. As hip hop waves hit USA first, it hits Malaysia too. The matter is time. The trend will come here soon. We live in the era of globalization.

Technology is secondary when it comes to this. The important issue to discuss here is the economic system. It is tool to execute our philosophies of life, on how we exchange, produce and consume goods. Importantly to address is our decision on what system of economic that we choose and we use it to manage. The system now is having problem again after it attacked Asia in 1997. This time was not a second attack on America, in fact since 1945-2007; they are at least 10 recessions happened here. For economic giant like Japan or United States, it comes every 25 years. Due to this fact, there is a voice in Malaysia to replace this capitalist economic system. It seems this cycle will continue again after 7 or ten years from now as no real cure has been found so far. It leave to some interpretation from my country that it is not compatible anymore. Further more, the economy system that is being used is based on the philosophy of materialism that is totally alien to Muslim’s principles ways of life which is Sharia.

This recession can only be understood when we can accept the fact that interest from borrowers are used to mobilize the economy. Credits will be offered and lots of them can not pay the loan. It will create financial bubbles. Secondly, Federal Reserve will allow printing more money which then will lead to inflation. It leads to inflation as lots of money in the market will drop the money values itself. It is important to mention that Dollars that we have today is valueless because it is paper which is not backed by gold or silver. It is based on commodity and shares market. As I will explain below, the shares market is more based on speculations and it is considered gambling.

This again reflects greed on behalf of lenders. When I interviewed my American friend, he told me that when he was in 60 banks that will send credit cards so that you will use it to spend thriftily. In a way, it is very convenient as it is easy, but in reality if we look at it closely, we will realize how dangerous it can be as you will have to pay the interest that will keep accumulate. At the end of the day, if you can’t pay it, you will be bankrupt.

I am very careful when it comes to spending, even though my credit report is good. They give you extra credit so that you will spend and use the specialties but at the end, the interest rate is high. It is like luring you into a deep hole. This actually happen in Malaysia too as many sales representative will come and find government servant in order for them to accept and have a credit cards offer by their bank. Once they get your phone number, they will make a call in the name of advertisement. A lady once offered a date with her in order for me to take and use American Express. I kindly rejected her offer by saying, how much the company pays you in term of it so that you will hook me up with this debt. Harsh?

“Dow again takes a dive” by Ellen Simon. It says “Louder warnings of a deep recession and weak corporate earnings took the Dow Jones industrial average down 514 points amid fears that government intervention won’t be enough to prevent global economies from faltering” The idea of free market must be free from government intervention. It solely depends on itself, the capitalist and the customer relations. Government can not be interfered in it because, it is afraid that those in power will manipulate the opportunity to use the bail out helping the cronies or any conglomerates that have good ties with them. That happened in Malaysia. As the result, wealth will be on the hand of a few rather than to the mass. Due to seriousness of this problem, Congress has to intervene and as the result, the bailout from taxpayers money will be used to save Conglomerates.

When I read a book written by Naomi Klein, it becomes a fear when Leteliar said that the free market rules is a another wave of dictatorships, they were not creating a perfectly harmonious economy but turning the already wealthy into the superrich and the organized working class into the in disposable poor.

Issues from the readings that were most significant to you.

Some people manage to manipulate the fall index of Dow Jones by buying shares as the prices are very low. They expect it will rise again and then sell it back when the price goes high so that they will generate income. It is easy money for those who have capital to buy it. It depends on luck actually, it is like gambling. What about if the index of Dow Jones keep falling? They will be on trouble then as the shares that they buy will loose its value. It becomes cheaper. It is like gambling because it is unpredictable. It is no worry here as the Congress already promises that it will have bail out that will give life to the USA economies. In Malaysia, those who are driven by greed keep buying shares hoping that the price will be raised again but unluckily for them, the help came late. The Index keep crashing day by day and left them hopeless and on the edge of bankruptcy. The easiest way for them is by committing suicide.

Maybe it is not an issue here, as I have never heard about anyone committing suicide in USA due to recession or bankruptcy dealing with shares in Dow Jones. I highlight this issues that from my perspective is important because firstly, from our cultural and religious points of views, life is very much valuable, committing suicide is out of context as it must not be our choice. Failure in business is not the end of day. There will always be ways to go out from the problem. There will always somebody to help you out. There will always be someone who cares about your problem. That is a beauty of living and being human. We are interconnected and being responsible towards each other. Everyone is not an island. Those who are commit suicide, based on our religious ruling, is doomed to be in Hell, unless God forgives he/she. It is like abusing the faculty of mind, that is to think and decide what is wrong and what is right. Taking our own life is giving up the ability to use minds to decide on our own actions. In fact, animals don’t simply kill themselves although they don’t have faculty of minds to differentiate what is good or bad. They only have instinct to survive. Why must we, then as human fall below their level? Secondly, any drive/intention or action that is directed by greed, can lead to disaster. It is putting your capital into market forces that is unpredictable during this time. It is highly risky. Is not it like a gambling? At the same time, it is putting your hope into a game. You don’t have power over this game as the rules and the results are not determined by you. There are other major key players here. Indeed it is very speculative. It is not that I am against taking risks but I prefer to take risks to the things that I have knowledge that I can succeed. Thirdly, I believe by giving your capital in order to buy low price shares during the time of recession, is helping the capitalist economy but at the same time, allowing yourselves to participate on the expense of others miseries. During recession, people will loose their jobs that will give bad impact not only on our socio economic life, but also for traders or speculators, they will short sell the shares and generate incomes for themselves. Further more, the bail out comes from taxes payers’ expenses. The injection will be given to the banks by bailing out them, (as everybody involve with banks nowadays) who’s in return will charge interest to us. In fact, banks will always seek to maximize profit from lending. Are they more equal to us? As a matter of fact, we (tax payers) absorb their risks and the reaps are for bankers. I don’t blame the bankers as they are merely workers. What we must look upon to re evaluate the economy system that we use now.

Fifth, I realize Economic Turmoil that happens here, affecting my country in term of food and petrol prices. In our local newspaper back home, there were demonstrations putting pressure to Malaysian government to lower down the petrol price as we are a nation that produce and export it to overseas. Petrol price should be lowered from the profits that we make by subsidizing it (the cost). Petrol does not belong to certain individuals or corporate, so it goes with the profit and in fact, it should be returned back to Malaysians by lowering the prices. The 3 Billion USD profits should be liquidized so that the effect of global recession won’t be affected so much on Malaysians. As a result from various demonstrations, Malaysian government provided USD 400 rebate per year for every household, but I believe it is not enough as other goods prices are sky rocketed too, and other Malaysians could not agree more than me. They prove it during election 2008. Five states are now in the control of opposition party. This is the biggest lost for Barisan National. Malaysians have spoken.

What ideas or questions relevant to issues of personal/professional concern were raised for you?

As Economic Turmoil has so many effects, it is important for educationists to provide circle of supports to those who are badly affected. I did mention about the suicide rates among shareholders. They might be solely bread winner for our students. It is important to always keep us alarmed not just on major cases (suicide cases or involving in crime as they way to attain money) but minor as well (losing jobs) as it will affect our students performances. Schools must work together with other elements of social supports available in community in order to overcome problems related to it. It is the time to take care of each other. The key point is to make students realize that they are not alone and are always welcome to get help as everybody is being affected by it. It might not be obvious that the problems do exist and teachers must be highly sensitive to detect them by being concerned and care about students. In order to avoid the insensitivity of teachers towards students, it is crucial to have pre assessments of students’ background. This will give knowledge and information whose going to be in the dire list for the teachers. It gives alert siren that helping intervention is needed. At the same time, assumption is not good. Thorough checking and assessments must be done professionally and ethically.

It opens the opportunity for teachers to integrate their lesson plans to related topics. In this case, teaching students how to manage their finance or comparing the benefits and the disadvantages of using credit cards are among the examples. I can tell them to be very careful to spend their parents’ credit cards limits to buy and wish for presents during Thanksgiving as overspending will make Bank happy due to excessive interest charges that the parents have to charge. At the same time, emphasizing the concept of being thankful to God and make students realize their parents capabilities to spend the money. The gist is to be thankful to God not particularly on that particular day but in fact everyday. I think that is integrative enough.

It is important to address here that circle of supports must be diversified in their frame of actions and well organized. These two criteria are important as first, we don’t know whose going to be the clients as our students are diversified, and the intervention helping process must be accordingly and suitable to the culture of students. Ignoring this fact will create more problems instead of help. Religious organizations, social clubs and etc can work hand in hand with school community.

Implications on me:

Economy system that we adopt, implement and use is the force that moulds the society today. The society becomes what it is due to the economy policies. It comes from policy makers after thorough studies have been done by intellectuals to decide which models are the best. Every model has its own philosophy where of it is originated from. Understanding the society needs us to look at the economy system as the whole. In order to understand the economy system, it is important to reflect back its own philosophical nature of origins/orders. It is called understanding worldviews.

Westerns worldviews of capitalism have been mould for centuries, due to the impact of Enlightenment, which is grounded in the name of science. In the name of science too, corruption and despotism in the Church is greatly repudiated, thus starts the age of secularism. Secularism itself is an active process reducing religious matters to a matter of individual preference. This was the breeding ground of emancipation from religion that later becomes catalyst for atheism. It is very horrible as religion as the safeguard of our collective conscience is deeply negatively affected by utilitarian (capitalism) points of views. Based on utilitarianism, moral values is assumed on what gives pleasure is good and what causes pain is bad, thus good and bad or right and wrong were to be determined by the measurable criteria of pleasure and pain. What is important is individual human self interest as we are driven for that. It is very horrible thinking. It denigrates the status of me from human to the beast that matters fulfilling self interest/desires only.

These sets of worldviews create the society now. In the USA past history, I believe, in the name of progress and economy which was based on above worldviews, slavery was not an option for them. It was a must. It is okay to enslave human so that the farms will have workers. We need to eat, so it’s okay to lynch Black American so that farms will be continued to be operated, and we have corns to eat. We will not starve to death during incoming winters. That’s their thinking. From what I read in our textbooks during class discussion, I will always believe slavery is the system. Also, I believe most that the system creates slavery. The system now creates global and powerful slavery that it affects every strata of society. We become the slave of those who have control over the economy. For example, in the name of profit making, it is okay to use woman body to advertise, it is okay to impose concept that beauty belongs to those who have Pamela Anderson’s body (don’t worry, I am not imagining her body now), child slavery is still continue up until today due to the fact that they have low wages and the lists of cruelty are on and on.

I am not a communist because I am against it, also by believing in socialism means putting a seed of atheism into my soul. However, I believe that the economy system that we are using now is not compatible anymore; firstly, I already explain where it is originated from in the above paragraphs. That’s the reason I said that it is not compatible. It is based on human greed. Secondly, from my experience, recession is a vicious cycle. Now, it happens again at the centre of capitalist system, now beginning from 2008. It happened to us in 1997. I can see that it is a complete ten years and the cycle goes on. If the system is compatible, why continuous financial aids do not work? Why the vicious cycle keep coming back again? I won’t be shocked if there will be another recession in any regions within 5 years or 10 years. Indonesia followed the solutions by IMF, but it does not help at all. If the system works, why the solution by IMF does not work at all? It is still among the poorest country in South East Asia region. In fact, when I collected news article on what were happening in Malaysia and USA, there were demonstrations on food crisis in Indonesia. The prices of food soared high. It affects Malaysians too. When I called my mom, she complained about the price of rice and flour which are high, at the same time asking about the price here at WalMart. It created tension and panic among Malaysians. Those who have money will buy excessively to make stocks afraid that the prices will go up again though preventive measurements have been taken in order to stop it such as controlling the price and even punishing merchants that hide them. People hurriedly go to the shops to grab food. Anyway, here, it does not happen. I can see that when it comes to proper planning of managing crisis, the panic and tension can be avoided.

That’s the implication of the importance of good managements that should be have among Malaysians leaders and its citizens too. Secondly, based on this, it creates a realization that we always have to be prepared ahead of time. We have to be aware of what happens around us so that during emergencies, we won’t be panicking and stay calm. In addition, with the good financial management, we do play a small role in affecting the economy. If the small portions combine, it might make give an impact towards the economy.